


Discover and Unveil

by Cinnamon_Rose_1982



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Gen, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-11-17 13:18:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11276073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamon_Rose_1982/pseuds/Cinnamon_Rose_1982
Summary: A team of five gems is chosen to go on a mission to find more planets for Homeworld to use. During this mission, they end up on a strange planet in an entirely different galaxy. While traveling around, they end up uncovering secrets they never knew about and getting unanswered question after unanswered question. Now, they have a new mission: What have their own leaders been hiding from them?(This story is a spin-off of the show Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar. All characters used in the story belong to me, but all inspiration was taken from the show.)





	1. Author's Note

Hello! Sonny here with a few things about this new story before we get into it. I'd recommend reading this note to avoid getting confused about anything later, otherwise you might end up asking questions that are already answered here.

1\. This story is set in a different universe entirely. Pretty much everything is different except the gems have mostly the same roles (for example, Quartzes are soldiers and Pearls are sort of servants for Diamonds or other higher-ups), they all come from space, and all of them are actual gems with bodies made of light and can fuse and all that gem physics crap. Of course, there are all the same variety of gems present in the show and in real life, but there is not any of the same characters (meaning, there can be Amethysts and Rose Quartzes, but not the same ones shown in the show).

2\. In this separate universe, gems are sexless (meaning they have no genitals or nipples since they have no need for reproduction or to breastfeed) but do have genders. They are born as (and later, if they happen to reform, can choose to be) male, female, neither, or even something in between. That means their gender binary is just as vast as ours, but I'm gonna keep it a bit more simple for our main characters because honestly gender is very complex and I don't understand what it's like being anything other than trans so yeah. You guys are probably gonna call me awful for making male gems or even say that trans or agender people don't exist, but I'm gonna ignore you and do what I want cuz this is my story.

3\. The basic colors of diamonds (white, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, and gray) exist in this world, but as of the time this story is set, only four Diamonds are ruling and the others are in training to become leaders because they're still a little young (except for Gray Diamond but we'll get to his story in the actual story). The others exist because sometimes there are too many gems and/or planets and not enough diamonds to rule (meaning that there can be more than four Diamonds in the Diamond Authority) or if a Diamond is becoming unfit to rule (such as being permanently damaged in some way).

4\. The gem cuts are all the same, like Amethysts all having hexagons and Pearls all having ovals or circles, but Diamonds are very different. Instead of having just a diamond shape, they go off of an actual diamond's shape in our real world. So the top of the diamond which is some sort of octagon shape is their gem cut, save for one or two exceptions.

I think that's pretty much it. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll try to explain as best I can.


	2. Gathering Missionaries

A projection of a map whizzed up in the middle of the room. The light coming from it reflected across everything except for two figures sitting in front of it. The larger gem, an orange-colored Diamond, studied the map carefully. It showed the location of planets he owned, but he was unsatisfied. He turned to look down at the much smaller gem next to him.

"Pearl," Orange Diamond began, "show me all the planets that Homeworld has conquered."

"Yes, my Diamond," Orange Pearl replied. They fiddled with a device in their lap, using their fingers to zoom the map out. The projection in the room mimicked the movements. It now showed the entirety of Homeworld. It was a vast galaxy, with several thousand stars and planets as far as the eye could see. Orange Diamond narrowed his eyes at the sight of the many planets. They were colored, marked by which Diamond owned them, except for a select few that were colored for different purposes. Orange Diamond leaned back in his giant chair and sighed. His Pearl looked up at him curiously.

"We're in need of more planets," Orange Diamond remarked. "We will need several more gems for the incoming Diamonds in training, not to mention if we go through more battles, we will lose several gems. We must find more planets to take, to grow more gems and add to our collection. Even if they're far away, they're no challenge for us. Right, Pearl?" He moved a hand downward to pat his Pearl's head gently. Considering the size of him compared to his Pearl, he could only use a finger to do so.

"Correct, my Diamond," the Pearl agreed. "We can always use our technology to move them closer."

Orange Diamond laughed. "That's a preposterous idea, Pearl!" he exclaimed, though not in a mean way. "I do think we need a mission going out there. Let's see..." He counted it off on his fingers. "We'll need someone to control the ship, a Quartz soldier to help tame the natives or help with any trouble, a scouter to sense for danger and the like, and a navigator to put the new planets on our maps and make sure these planets are undiscovered."

"Are you sure we have all those gems in our ranks, my Diamond?" Orange Pearl questioned.

Orange Diamond's eyes widened. "You're right, Pearl," he realized. "I'll send word to the other Diamonds immediately. We'll need a scouter and a navigator from them. I'll be out to help you find the soldier and leader in a second. Go out there and gather up the gems, okay?"

"Yes, my Diamond." 

Orange Pearl bowed and stepped calmly over to the exit. They opened the door, exiting their Diamond's room. Two Jasper guards on either side of the door bowed to the Pearl. The Pearl nodded at them, giving a slight bow back. They turned towards the rest of the room, noticing they were standing on a large platform. In front of them lay the main room of Orange Diamond's sanctuary. Any meeting called for the court was done here and there was a door at the very back where outside gems on ships came through. The gems of the court liked to spend their free time here as well, for reasons that Orange Pearl didn't know but was curious to find out. 

Orange Pearl clapped their hands together twice, gathering the attention of several gems sitting in the room who hadn't noticed the Pearl enter. This special clap also sounded a certain alarm throughout the sanctuary, alerting to every gem present that a meeting was to be called and stopping all other technology running in the building. It also began a broadcast system that allowed Orange Pearl to speak to every gem present.

"All gems of Orange Diamond's court," Orange Pearl announced loud and clear, "please make your way to the atrium for a special meeting brought on by your Diamond. I repeat, please gather in the atrium for a special meeting. Concluding announcement." Orange Pearl clapped twice again to shut off the broadcast. They sat down on the platform, swinging their legs impatiently. It would take a while for all the gems to get here. They stared at the gems who were already there, chatting amongst themselves curiously as they got into position.

"What do you think this meeting will be about?" a Spinel asked their Ruby guards.

"Most likely more war," one of the Rubies joked.

"Don't be so offensive!" the other Ruby exclaimed. "Though, it's fun to punch gems' faces in."

A Kunzite standing next to them chuckled. "Your guards are very rambunctious," they remarked.

The Spinel laughed as well. "I know, but I adore them anyways. They're very kind to me."

By now, gems were coming out of the many doors on the sides of the large room and filing into their positions. Most of them came from training stations, Orange Pearl guessed. They realized they wouldn't have time to figure out why these gems spent so much time here if they didn't ask now.

"Hey," Orange Pearl called out to the court, "why do you spend all your free time here? Isn't it kinda boring to not be in your assigned stations?"

"It's calming here," the Kunzite answered. "The training room is always full of ruckus and everyone trying to get everywhere. Here, I can relax and talk to any gem I want and bask in the silence."

The Spinel nodded. "The colors here are nice too. It feels like a giant star is warming me up from the inside. It makes me feel all cozy."

A Padparadscha Sapphire who had been listening in on the conversation piped up, startling her Ruby, "The quiet environment here helps me to concentrate on my visions. It might be one of the best rooms to meditate in." 

Orange Pearl nodded, satisfied that they had finally gotten an answer. Usually the gems here were a bit scared of them, considering how close they were to Orange Diamond. They didn't really understand how their Diamond seemed threatening to the other gems, considering the Pearl was always spoiled by him.

"Ooh!" a Carnelian standing behind the Padparadscha made a sound of realization. "You see the future, right? Can you tell us what Orange Diamond is gonna tell us?"

"Yeah, tell us!" a Topaz next to the Carnelian pleaded. The rest of the court began egging on the Padparadscha, which made her very nervous. Her Ruby tried his best to calm the gems down, but it didn't work.

"Order in the court!" Orange Diamond yelled above the mantra. The gems stared up at him and a collective gulp of fear sounded throughout the room. They quickly went silent and gave the traditional Diamond salute over their heads, as that was where Orange Diamond's gem was placed. Orange Pearl smirked to themselves, standing up and backing up to stand next to their Diamond. They scanned the room to make sure everyone was here. There were several Jaspers, Topazes, and other soldiers found in groups. The Peridots all stood together near the corner, some Kunzites were scattered about, and a few fellow Pearls stood by their gems. There were many other gem types crowded throughout the room. Orange Pearl couldn't see anyone out of place, but felt like someone was missing.

"Way to go, Sunstone!" two voices suddenly rang out. A door at the back of the crowd opened and four gems ran out. A Pearl was carrying the Sunstone in her arms and tossing him up into the air. Two Rubies laughed along, supposedly the ones who had congratulated the gem.

"Pearl, please, put me do-" the Sunstone began, but stopped in the middle of his sentence as he noticed Orange Diamond there. His entourage noticed as well, the Pearl immediately dropping him. Sunstone scrambled up, making a rushed salute, as did his Pearl and Rubies.

"Pearl," Orange Diamond growled. "Tell me again why I even bother to employ these Sunstones."

"Sunstones are a very rare and prized cut of gem," Orange Pearl began, reading straight from her memories about the gemstones she knew. "They can be used for nearly anything, as they are natural-born fighters and leaders. Much like Tourmalines, they can sense danger or good things inbound and alert those around them. However, they are weak and can be destroyed rather easily. They are also prone to not listening, too confident for their own good, and very emotional." 

The Pearl glared at Sunstone as they said their last few sentences. The Sunstone looked terrified and close to crying. His guards were frozen in shock and his Pearl appeared guilty. Orange Pearl then hatched a nasty plan in their head. They smirked as they concluded, "I really think the reward isn't worth the risk. Don't you, my Diamond?" They smiled sweetly up at him. Orange Diamond showed a quick expression of alarm, but then caught on to what they meant and smiled as well.

"I agree, Pearl," Orange Diamond said. "I don't want to traumatize my court by shattering a gem in front of their eyes, however. Sunstone, you can meet me in my room after this meeting."

Sunstone burst into tears. His Pearl looked from Sunstone to Orange Diamond repeatedly in disbelief. The Rubies stared, horrified.

And then Orange Diamond and Orange Pearl burst out laughing. It echoed across the walls and boomed throughout the room. Many gems had a feeling the entire galaxy could hear it. They stared at their Diamond, confused - except for the Sapphires, who already knew what was happening.

"I can't believe they fell for it!" Orange Pearl exclaimed.

"You gems are so gullible," Orange Diamond commented. "I wouldn't shatter a gem for my own design choice. The training rooms for Sapphires, Tourmalines, and other sensing or future vision gems are completely soundproof and don't have the broadcasting system installed into them. It's to help the gems concentrate on their training. Since Sapphires have future vision, they know when to come out, but a mistake on my part is that none of the others have future vision. Therefore, they don't even know a meeting was called!" Orange Diamond laughed again. "It's worth it for that joke, though."

"Exactly, my Diamond," Orange Pearl agreed.

"Now." Orange Diamond clasped his hands together. "I have an important mission for some select gems. Homeworld is in need of more planets fit to grow gems or be used in some other way for our galaxy. This mission will include a gem to control the ship, a soldier to help with trouble, a scouter to travel the planet, and a navigator to mark it on the map. However, I will only be choosing a leader and a soldier from my court, as one or two of the other Diamonds will be helping me in letting a scouter and navigator come on the mission. Does anyone have any questions about what is happening?"

None of the gems raised their hands or spoke up. However, they seemed excited to be going on a special mission.

"Good." Orange Diamond smiled. "Let's see now..." He scanned the room. "Pearl, mind telling me what gems would be useful for this?"

"Quartz soldiers would obviously be our best option for the soldier," Orange Pearl rattled on. "After all, this is an important mission. We need someone strong that can handle a planet's natives and protect the others on the mission. As for one to control the ship, a Peridot would be my first option, but they often worry too much and would need an Aquamarine or someone similar to keep them calm. I think a Kunzite or Spinel would be fit for the job, since they both have natural leader instincts."

Orange Diamond listened intently, nodding at their words. When his Pearl was done, he thought for a moment, then pointed to a gem in the crowd.

"Ametrine," he called. "You're a fantastic Quartz soldier, with the strength of an Amethyst and the adaptability of a Citrine. You're not only able to take out an army with just a few swings, but can take more hits than any Quartz soldier ever could. I think you're absolutely perfect for this job. Come to the front of the stage, here."

Ametrine blushed throughout his Diamond's words and moved through the crowd. He felt everyone's eyes on him as he headed towards the stage and gave a salute to his Diamond. Orange Diamond smiled down at him. Ametrine couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. Although he knew he was a great soldier, Orange Diamond always exaggerated about him, and he felt like he shouldn't have really been the way he was. After all, he could never be Ametrine - he was always an Amethyst and a Citrine to them. Nonetheless, he stood at the base of the platform and stood there awkwardly.

Orange Diamond closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "Kunzites and Spinels are great at being leaders and controlling ships," he said to himself, "but Spinels are a bit better for directing armies, not to mention so high up in the hierarchy that they need guards and sometimes earn Pearls. I couldn't lose one of them if something ever happened." 

He opened his eyes and looked out at his court. Clearing his throat, he announced, "Can all of my Kunzites please come forward?"

Upon his words, several gems began moving through the crowd to the very front, stepping a few feet in front of the first row so they could be seen easily. There were about seven of them, ranging from pale pink to a dark purple. One was even a reddish color. Orange Diamond looked over them all, studying them closely. He recognized one of the pink Kunzites. This one had worked with Ametrine on previous missions. The two seemed to be pretty close, as Kunzite had been in the same kindergarten as Ametrine and was there for the whole debacle about the soldier. Orange Diamond smiled to himself. He was perfect for the job.

"You," Orange Diamond pointed to the Kunzite. He looked at his Diamond, surprised. Orange Diamond nodded as if to say, "Yes, you." Kunzite stepped forward to the base of the platform, standing next to Ametrine and saluting. The other Kunzites stayed where they were, hoping this would conclude the meeting.

Orange Diamond crouched down on the stage and moved his hands down to the floor, next to Ametrine and Kunzite. The two, knowing this ritual, climbed into either of his hands. Orange Diamond stood back up, raising up his hands and showing off the two proudly.

"I present to you, Kunzite and Ametrine!" Orange Diamond exclaimed. "Two brave gems of my court ready to go off on another mission for the sake of our Homeworld!"

The crowd below them cheered wildly. Even Orange Pearl looked pleased. Kunzite stared down at the crowd, smiling to himself. He always liked this ritual, even if he wasn't part of it. However, Ametrine didn't enjoy the attention. He closed his eyes through it all, waiting for it to be over.

"Court, you are now dismissed to do as you please!" Orange Diamond announced. The crowd gave one last cheer as they dispersed, going to their designated rooms or to go train. He looked at the two gems on his hands happily. "You two may go have free time together. It may be a while until the rest of your entourage is ready. I do want to congratulate you, though."

"Thank you, my Diamond," the two said in unison, bowing to him. Orange Diamond gently set them back down on the ground. He told his Pearl to do whatever they pleased, then retreated back to his room.

"Congrats, you two," Orange Pearl called to Ametrine and Kunzite. "Play nice, now."

Kunzite laughed. "Of course we will!" he replied. "Ametrine and I go way back. Right, Ame?"

"Heheh, yeah," Ametrine chuckled, rubbing his arm with the other nervously.

"Congratulations, Kunzite!" A purple Kunzite who had been talking to the Spinel earlier clapped her hand on Kunzite's back. "I had a feeling you'd be picked. You've been training well."

The two chatted for a bit as Ametrine looked off sadly. However, his attention was gathered by the Jasper guards at the door to Orange Diamond's room whooping and clapping for him. Ametrine smiled and held up a hand in greeting, glad they cared about him.

"Gee, Ametrine," Kunzite remarked. "This is gonna be so exciting! Traversing the galaxy, finding new planets, working with gems from other Diamonds... I'm so happy I get to do this with you!" Kunzite grabbed Ametrine's hands and bounced up and down, making the soldier laugh.

"I suppose it's a mystery what we're going to find out there, hmm?" Ametrine asked.

"Yeah, but that's what makes it even better," Kunzite responded. "It's going to be super fun. Do you think we'll get to do super cool stuff out there?"

"You mean like...fusing?" Ametrine couldn't think of anything else that Kunzite would allude to.

Kunzite blinked, then burst out laughing. "Oh, Ametrine, you wouldn't ever need to fuse!" he exclaimed. "You're super strong! There's no reason for you to have to fuse."

As Kunzite kept talking about what cool happenings would go on during the mission, Ametrine could only think about how stupid he was to even suggest fusion.

*

"Green Diamond, Green Diamond!" two voices shouted. The Diamond in question turned around to see an Orthoclase and an Epidote running towards him. They stopped in front of his platform, the Orthoclase bouncing around with an excitability rivaling that of Green Diamond himself. The Epidote looked happy and chuckled at the Orthoclase's behavior.

"What is it, you two?" Green Diamond asked, walking over to the edge of his platform to see them. Unlike most Diamonds, he didn't have to crouch down in order to see them properly. He was the only Diamond to be defective, as he came out extremely small - even smaller than his own Pearl. Nobody really knew why he was defective, though some speculated that it was because the pointed end of his gem was visible rather than the top of it. He looked like he had been stabbed with a spear straight through his stomach and it stuck there permanently.

"We have a surprise to show you!" Orthoclase exclaimed. She giggled excitedly, her pink ponytail bouncing around with her movements.

"But you have to close your eyes," Epidote added.

"Okay!" Green Diamond smiled and closed his eyes. He fought the urge to peek at whatever was going on, dying of curiosity. Soon, a pair of hands grasped his tiny arms and pulled them away from his face. Green Diamond stared straight into four eyes.

"Oh. My. Stars!" Green Diamond squealed.

The fusion before his eyes leaned back to let him see them completely. They spun around, asking, "How do I look?"

"You look amazing!" Green Diamond bounced around and clapped his hands excitedly. "I'm so happy for you! What's your name now?"

"Call us-" the fusion stopped itself, "er...Call me Unakite."

"That's such a beautiful name!" Green Diamond remarked. "It fits you perfectly!"

Unakite laughed, bringing out their four arms in front of Green Diamond. He hopped into a pair of their hands. They brought him up to them so he could speak to them a little more easily.

"You two look really good together," Green Diamond said. "How does fusion even work? How do you know your name? How do you just mash together like that?"

Unakite laughed. "You don't mash together," they explained. "You have to get in sync and then you...disappear into one person. Except you're not really one person because you're still yourself, but you're also not two people because...well, you get the point, right?"

Green Diamond tilted his head like a dog.

"What I'm trying to say is..." Unakite thought for a moment. "It's like having two brains combined into one body. You still have to try and keep synced up and stable even as an entirely different person. Even if you work well together, it can be difficult to try to sync or stay together. I think you'd really have to experience fusion to get it."

"I hope someone fuses with me someday," Green Diamond responded. "Maybe I'll be as big as the other Diamonds!"

Suddenly, a buzzing came from behind them. Green Diamond turned to see an incoming call coming in on his receiver. The projection showed that it was from Orange Diamond. Green Diamond gasped and Unakite set him down. He ran over to the receiver and pressed the button to answer. Orange Diamond came up on the screen.

"Hello, Tangy!" Green Diamond waved to his compatriot.

Orange Diamond sighed, "How many times have I told you not to call me th-" He stopped when he noticed Unakite in the background. "Wh-What is that?!" he exclaimed.

"That's Unakite!" Green Diamond answered proudly. "Aren't they gorgeous?"

Unakite blushed, bringing one of their hands up to their face and flicking another in an "Oh, you" expression.

"You should really allow fusion more often, Tangy," Green Diamond advised, once again using his term of endearment for the Diamond. "They make some astounding gems. Can you imagine just how free they feel, or how it strengthens their relationships?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Orange Diamond dismissed the subject. "Look, I'm not here to talk about fusion all day. I have a mission for you."

"Really?" Green Diamond jumped up and down. "Is it important?"

"Very," Orange Diamond replied. "I'm sending gems on a mission to find more planets to use for growing gems and other Homeworld business. I'm getting my court together for a meeting to get the leader and a soldier, but I need a scouter and a navigator from you. I think a Tourmaline and a Peridot should do well, unless you have other gems that work better."

Green Diamond's eyes shone throughout the entire thing. He bounced around. "Of course! I'll go find some!"

"Thank you," Orange Diamond responded. "By the way, where's your Pearl? Shouldn't she be by your side at all times?"

"Oh, you mean Seafoam?" Green Diamond grinned. "She's hanging out with the Peridots right now. They have fun talking about all that tech stuff."

Orange Diamond looked exasperated. "You shouldn't let your own personal guard go out and do whatever. What if someone tries to hurt you?"

"I'm fine!" Green Diamond waved it off. "Besides, where's _your_ Pearl? I'm surprised you aren't petting their head and getting all smoochy with them."

Orange Diamond's face lit up with blush. It almost seemed to glow against his orange skin. "I do not get all..." Orange Diamond struggled to get the words out. "...smoochy with them," he hissed, indignant.

"You're blushing!" Green Diamond pointed to him. "Exposed! Exposed!"

Immediately, Orange Diamond exited the call to avoid talking about this. Green Diamond laughed and pumped his fist in victory. He turned around and started walking off his little platform.

"Sorry, Unakite," he told the fusion, "but I gotta go find some gems for this mission."

"Okay." Unakite waved to him. "Good luck, my Diamond."

Green Diamond gave them a thumbs-up and continued walking away. There were two doors into his room, one leading to a rest area for the gems and the other leading to the meeting room. He entered the one going to the rest area. The gems there perked their heads up at the sight of him, all smiles. Among them was his Pearl, who stood up and walked over to him.

"Is there anything you need, my Diamond?" the Pearl asked, ruffling her Diamond's hair.

"I'm looking for gems for a mission," Green Diamond replied. "We need a scouter and a navigator."

"Most of the Peridots are in the center," a Fancy Sapphire chimed in. He ran a hand through his hair, then concluded, "The Aura Quartzes are near the left corner. They're playing, as usual."

"Thank you, Fancypants!" Green Diamond waved to the Sapphire as he ran over to the corner to find the Aura Quartzes. His Pearl followed behind him.

"I assume this mission is very important?" Green Pearl asked.

"Yep." Green Diamond skidded to a stop at his gems. "Hello, you all!"

"Hello, my Diamond!" the Aura Quartzes greeted.

"I need to borrow one or two of you for a mission to find new planets," Green Diamond explained. "I love giving you your freedom, but some of you are great at navigating anyways. I know little Tanzine is great with technology."

"Yeah!" Tanzine Aura Quartz jumped up in the air. "I'm awesome with gem stuff."

"But you wouldn't want to go alone, would you?" Green Diamond inquired. "I bet you'd want your sister to keep you company."

"Of course!" Tanzine grabbed the gem sitting next to her and pulled her up to a standing position. "I wouldn't go anywhere without Angel."

"We'll never be separate," Angel Aura Quartz added.

"Then that's that!" Green Diamond clapped his hands together. "You two can be the navigators. Now we just need to find our scouter."

"Yay!" Tanzine and Angel ran up to Green Diamond and climbed up onto his shoulders. Since Aura Quartzes were the smallest gems in Green's court, even smaller than the Sapphires and Rubies, they were able to fit on him. Tanzine climbed up onto Green Diamond's head, using his hair like reins on a horse. The other Aura Quartzes wished them good luck as they started walking away. A passing Parti Sapphire said, "The Tourmalines are in the sensing room." Green Diamond thanked them and headed off to the training room right next to him.

Upon entering the room, the four were greeted by several Tourmalines all sitting somewhat close together. The tech that was usually on to help them practice their sensing powers was currently off. The gems gave their Diamond a wave and went back to chatting amongst themselves.

"We usually hang out with Watermelon Tourmaline," Tanzine remarked.

"She's pretty popular, yeah?" Green Diamond didn't seem surprised.

"She's very nice," Angel responded. "You should choose her for the mission."

"We don't choose gems based on popularity," Green Pearl informed her. "We choose those who see as best fit for the mission."

"Besides," Green Diamond cut in, "I wouldn't want to tear her away from all her friends. We need someone with astounding eyesight, acute sensing powers, and the ethics and knowledge to understand a planet and its needs for our gems. Someone like..." Green Diamond scanned the room, then gasped. "Paraiba!"

Paraiba Tourmaline, who sat alone near the back of the room, lifted her head at the sound of her name. She looked surprised. Green Diamond and his "entourage" ran over to her.

"Paraiba, would you like to go on a mission?" Green Diamond asked.

"Uhm, it depends..." Paraiba looked down. She picked at her gem with her right hand.

"Well, we were needing a scouter," Green Pearl explained. "To see what terraformers would be needed for possible planets and to sense if there are any natives on the planet."

"We're going to different planets?" Paraiba's eyes widened in shock.

"Yeah!" Green Diamond seemed excited. "You're a good collector, right? You could find stuff for your collections on the mission!"

Paraiba considered it for a moment, mulling it over in her head. Finally, she nodded. "Okay. I'll go."

"That's great!" Green Diamond extended his hand to help her up. Standing at her full height, she was only slightly taller than Green Pearl. "Now let's go get ready for this mission," Green Diamond continued, heading back into the rest area and towards the meeting room.

"Is it only going to be us three?" Tanzine asked, kicking her legs.

"Nope," Green Diamond answered. "Some of Orange Diamond's court is going along with you."

"Orange Diamond?!" Angel echoed.

"B-But he's scary!" Paraiba admitted. "Won't his gems beat us to a pulp?"

Green Diamond laughed. "Of course not! He's nice and so are his gems. They won't hurt you." 

"Alright..." Paraiba seemed skeptical. She and the others exited the meeting room to a small platform right in the middle of the galaxy. From here, one could see everything, Paraiba especially so. Not too far away was Orange Diamond's main planet, where his entire little world was built. On the other visible sides of the galaxy were the other Diamonds' colonies. Tanzine and Angel let out gasps of awe at the sight of all of it.

"My Diamond," Green Pearl suddenly reported, "Orange Pearl has sent me a message. They say that a ship is on its way here to pick up the rest of the missionaries. Orange Diamond advises that we wait here until it arrives, just to make sure everything is set."

"Okay." Green Diamond smiled and looked up at the stars. "With the pace he moves at, they should be here relatively shortly."

As if on cue, a medium-sized orange ship came into view. Green Diamond waved to it, making sure the gems inside knew to land there. Tanzine and Angel climbed down from his shoulders, settling on the ground in front of him.

"It's gonna be weird meeting gems from other Diamonds," Tanzine remarked.

Angel nodded. "I've heard Orange has a lot of soldiers. Do you think we should be scared?"

Green Pearl chuckled. "He's really not quite as bad as they say," she replied. "The only gems you should be afraid of are the ones that belong to no one."

As the ship closed in and Green Pearl's words hung in the air, space seemed to feel a little bit warmer.


	3. New Journey

The ship landed on the platform. With a hiss of steam, the door opened. Kunzite stepped out first, looking around and soon noticing the others in front of his eyes. Ametrine stepped out behind him tenatively, seeming much more nervous than Kunzite. The two of them walked forward a few paces and bowed to Green Diamond.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Green Diamond," Kunzite greeted. "It's an honor to work with gems of your court."

"They really like sucking up to other Diamonds," Tanzine whispered to Angel, who stifled a laugh.

"It's also great to see you two again!" Green Diamond remarked. "I'm very glad this mission involves gems I'm already familiar with. You're very trustworthy. I can see why he chose you."

"Aww, you're just saying that," Ametrine blushed as he replied.

"So who are these gems we get to work with?" Kunzite inquired, looking at the three from Green Diamond's court.

"Ah!" Green Diamond gestured to his gems. "This is Paraiba Tourmaline, Tanzine Aura Quartz, and Angel Aura Quartz. They will be your scouter and navigators for your mission!"

"It's nice to meet you!" Kunzite exclaimed. "I'm Kunzite, and this is Ametrine."

"Are you really from Orange Diamond's court?" Paraiba asked. "You don't seem quite as scary as he is..."

"He isn't scary at all," Ametrine laughed. "He may be a bit strict, but he's really nice and cares about his gems more than anything."

"When did you guys meet Green Diamond?" Tanzine questioned.

"Yeah, I've never seen you before," Angel chimed in.

"It was a mission we had a few years ago," Kunzite explained. "We had to gather some ship parts for Orange Diamond. It was our first time meeting Green Diamond, too. Honestly, I was kind of afraid."

"Afraid meaning you insulted him upon first sight," Ametrine commented. Green Diamond started giggling at the memory of it.

"Hey, as I recall, you looked around for him and then asked," Kunzite started mimicking Ametrine's voice, "Where's Green Diamond?"

"Don't embarrass me like that in front of the gems I'm supposed to make a good first impression on!" Ametrine whined, pushing Kunzite playfully. They laughed about it, though.

"Wow, you gems are funny!" Tanzine remarked.

"Orange Diamond is a riot," Green Diamond responded. "His gems have the same sense of humor. They're all like a big family!"

"Hey, um..." Paraiba gathered everyone's attention. She turned to Ametrine. "You said you were an...Ametrine, right?"

"Yes," Ametrine answered, a little confused as to why she was asking this.

"Well, I just..." Paraiba averted her eyes. "I've never heard of an Ametrine. I've heard of Amethysts and I've even met Citrines, but an Ametrine is...unheard of."

"Oh, of course, I'm just an Amethyst and a Citrine to you, too," Ametrine shot back. "I can never be myself."

"Ame, calm down..." Kunzite looked nervous.

"I was just confused..." Paraiba stepped back, a little afraid.

"Yeah, I was confused too," Tanzine piped up, not fearful at all.

"Are you some sort of really rare gem?" Angel asked.

"I guess I'm the only one in existence," Ametrine growled, an expression of pure anger on his face. "After all, I was the defective Quartz soldier that caused the infamous war between Orange and Purple Diamond! Why would they ever want to make more of me when I'm just a stupid mistake?!"

Right there, Ametrine burst into tears. Kunzite awkwardly patted his back, trying to comfort his friend. The other gems stared in silence. Paraiba looked close to tears, since she felt responsible for causing the outburst. Green Diamond was troubled on what to do.

"There was a war?" Tanzine inquired under her breath.

"That was before your time," Green Diamond told her. "Why don't you and Angel go check the ship's tech and make sure it's all running properly?" He patted their backs, urging them on. They ran towards the ship and went inside. Green Diamond stepped over to Kunzite and Ametrine.

"I'm sorry, Green Diamond-" Kunzite tried to apologize, but Green himself cut him off.

"No, it's not your fault," Green Diamond assured him. "Please, excuse their behavior. If I had known Ametrine was coming along, I would've warned them beforehand not to ask anything. I'm sure they'll keep out of your hair now, and if they don't, call me and I'll deal with them myself. I don't want Ametrine to feel even worse."

Kunzite nodded, not really sure of what to say. Ametrine straightened his posture now, wiping a few more tears away. He still looked upset, but seemed to be calming down.

"Please don't blame your gems," he mumbled. "It's my fault for even existing."

"Don't talk like that." Green Diamond tried to put his hands on Ametrine's shoulders, but was too short to do so. He opted for just putting his hands on Ametrine's chest as a gesture of both comfort and "Listen to me, this is important". However, it looked and felt awkward, so he removed them. He continued, "Nothing going on here is your fault, and certainly nothing that happened after your creation was your fault either. You're just yourself. You're not an Amethyst, you're not a Citrine, and you're not a mistake. You are an Ametrine, and an amazing one at that. You're the only cut of your gem so far. You should feel absolutely touched to exist. Think about it. Whatever molecules that created our universe made all the wonderful stars, all the perfect planets, and every single gem of our kind...and it also decided to grace everyone with one of you. You must be very special to be the only one made."

Ametrine's eyes shone as Green Diamond finished his speech. The Diamond smiled at him, which only made Ametrine want to cry again - from happiness this time. However, the moment was interrupted by Tanzine and Angel leaping out of the ship.

"It's all good!" they sang in unison.

"Perfect." Green Diamond nodded as they walked over to him. "Well, I suppose I should let you all go off on your mission, then." He looked down at Tanzine and Angel, ruffling their hair. "You two behave yourselves, okay?"

"We will!" Tanzine and Angel shouted. They each hugged one of Green Diamond's legs, making him laugh. He crouched down to hug them properly.

"Be good navigators for them," Green Diamond instructed. "Make sure you always have your maps, and take good care of the ship." He stood up and the two ran onto the ship eagerly. Green Diamond turned to Paraiba, who immediately wrapped her arms around him. He chuckled, patting her back and telling her, "Keep your eyes open and your mind clear for them. You're going to be a very helpful asset to them. And don't be afraid to collect anything you find interesting."

"Thank you, my Diamond," Paraiba whispered.

They pulled apart and Green Diamond smiled at her. Paraiba gave him a nod and stepped onto the ship. As she passed by, she wiped her eyes to stop herself from crying. It was both parts being upset of having to leave her Diamond and happy that she could prove herself worthy on a mission. Now, Green Diamond turned to Kunzite and Ametrine.

"We'll take good care of them," Ametrine promised.

Green Diamond nodded. "Be safe out there. And good luck." He moved over to Kunzite and held out his hand. Kunzite took it carefully. The two shook hands, smiling at each other and easing some of the worry. When Green Diamond moved to Ametrine, the soldier caught him by surprise by grabbing him and pulling him into a strong hug. He spun the Diamond around as he did so, making Kunzite and even Green Pearl laugh at the sight.

"Thank you," Ametrine murmured to Green Diamond. "I won't let you down. Except for right now." Ametrine put Green Diamond back on the ground, the two chuckling at his joke. Green Diamond waved to the two as they went back onto the ship, closing the door.

"Alright, is everyone on?" Kunzite asked.

Ametrine nodded, laying down on a row of soft seats. Paraiba waved a hand from across the room. Tanzine and Angel ran in from the back of the ship, seemingly exploring around. They seemed excited as they jumped onto the seats beside Paraiba.

"Alright!" Kunzite clapped his hands together. "I'll get us on the way out, then." He moved over to the front of the ship, sitting down and working with the controls there. The ship slowly advanced upward, going up and away from Green Diamond's colony. Kunzite could still see the Diamond and his Pearl waving goodbye to them. He gave a small wave back, though he doubted they could see him, and continued moving the ship slowly away until he was able to move forward safely.

"So, what's with your gem?" Tanzine asked Ametrine.

"What?" Ametrine sounded defensive. He moved a hand across his arm to cover his gem. "What's wrong with it?"

"The shape is all weird," Tanzine continued. "It's, like...not normal."

As Tanzine talked, Angel brought out a techboard from her gem and started drawing shapes on it. Paraiba looked troubled, like she wanted to stop this before a fight happened but she didn't know how. Kunzite continued doing his job of flying the ship, hoping this would calm down before anything bad happened since he couldn't interfere.

"What about it isn't normal?" Ametrine sat up now, trying to hide the fact that he even had a gem. "It looks p-perfectly fine to me."

"Well, I mean..." Tanzine didn't know how to word it. However, Angel handed her the techboard with the finished drawings. "Ah! Here." Tanzine turned the board around so Ametrine could see the drawings. She pointed to a circular gem with a hexagon in the middle.

"This is an Amethyst's gem," Tanzine explained. "See how round it is, even though the facets should shape it differently? It's very similar to other Quartz gems." She moved to the next gem, a triangular one. "This is a Citrine. As you can see, it's similar to a Peridot's in shape, but still its own gem. Considering you're a Quartz, your gem should look like either one of those two - or even like ours."

When this was said, Angel pointed to the oval-shaped gem on her cheek.

Tanzine grinned. "Like that. But yours...yours is very different." Tanzine pointed to the last gem, one with several points to it. "It's extremely irregular in shape and not at all similar to an Amethyst or a Citrine. It's unnatural, something never seen before." She handed the techboard back to Angel, who made it disappear.

"I don't care if it's unnatural or never seen before!" Ametrine shouted. "I'm just something that's new, okay?! Stop comparing me to gems that are actually perfect!"

"You two should really stop bothering him," Paraiba agreed.

"It's just the truth," Tanzine said bluntly.

"He already knows that," Paraiba told her. "He doesn't want to hear it anymore. He probably already feels so awful about himself, and you taunting him makes it worse. A gem with an unhealthy mindset like that isn't a good thing. Why don't you try helping him through it, instead?"

Tanzine scoffed. "Really? A measly soldier can't handle the truth?"

"Tanzine, I think you're going a bit too far..." Even Angel sounded concerned.

"Well, isn't he supposed to be the perfect soldier?" Tanzine sneered, turning to Ametrine. "After all, you're just an Amethyst and a Citrine mashed together, right? You have the strength of an Amethyst soldier, able to crush any gem, and the defensive measures of a Citrine, able to withstand any blow. You're one of the greatest assets on the battlefield! And yet..." An evil grin creeped up on Tanzine's face like a spider would up one's skin. "You can't even handle the fact that you're defective."

The ship suddenly lurched to one side, making the gems of Green Diamond's court nearly fall off their seats. The ship quickly straightened again and Kunzite stood up, slamming his hands on the control panel. He stomped over to Tanzine and grabbed her by the collar.

"That's enough," Kunzite growled. He started heading towards the back of the ship with her.

"H-Hey, where are you taking me?!" Tanzine cried.

"You're staying in the back of the ship until you can learn to behave yourself and treat gems the way they should be treated," Kunzite explained. "Green Diamond would be extremely disappointed in you if he knew you were acting like this."

"But you need me!" Tanzine retorted, indignant.

"I have your sister," Kunzite shot back, putting Tanzine on the ground. "Now sit there in the corner until you can come out here and apologize to Ametrine." He let out a huff and walked back to the front, wiping his hands clean.

"You didn't have to do that," Ametrine told him. "I could've moved to the back since I was causing trouble..."

Kunzite sighed and sat next to Ametrine. "You didn't do anything wrong," he said. "You're just here, being yourself."

"But myself is wrong," Ametrine argued.

"You're not wrong, Ame," Kunzite reassured him. "You may be a little different than everyone else, but difference is good. Even though things are a bit of a mess for you, you're still here. You're still unique and perfect in your own special little way. Remember what Green Diamond said. The universe is so bountiful and full of so many amazing things...and it decided that one of you needed to exist. And only one of you. That's a wonderful honor."

"Y-Yeah," Ametrine stammered. He seemed a bit flustered. "I mean...there are so many stars in just this galaxy, and all of them are unique and some have mistakes, but we appreciate them all just the same, right?"

"Exactly!" Kunzite beamed. "You're one of those stars: appreciated and loved and unique in your own perfect way."

Ametrine let out a quiet laugh, putting his hand to his cheek as if to try and wipe his blush away. "It doesn't really feel like I'm appreciated by many people, though," he tried to argue.

"Well..." Kunzite averted his eyes for a moment. His fingers tapped the seat absentmindedly. In a nearly inaudible voice, he said, "I appreciate you."

Somehow, Ametrine was able to hear that. The blush on his face grew deeper and he stared wide-eyed at Kunzite, unable to say anything.

"Well!" Kunzite turned to the others, trying to act casual despite very obviously being nervous, as shown by his blushing face. "Uh, the ship is set on a course out of Homeworld, so we should be leaving the galaxy shortly. In the meantime, um...h-how are you all?"

Nobody said a word. Paraiba wrung her hands together, Angel looked out the front of the ship, and Ametrine stared at the wall. Even Tanzine, who was still in the back, didn't give a snarky remark or bang on the walls.

"Alright, then," Kunzite sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I'll go back to the front, since driving this ship is sort of my job..." 

He stood up and started for the front, but Ametrine's hand shot out and grabbed his arm rather tightly. When Kunzite looked back, giving a grimace of pain, Ametrine quickly loosened his grip a little. However, he gave Kunzite this look. There was no way to describe this look other than it gave Kunzite this sudden, intense feeling of guilt. He immediately sat down, not wanting to see Ametrine look like that. The Quartz smiled, still holding Kunzite's arm as if to keep him there. He seemed a little protective. Kunzite glanced down at Ametrine's hand awkwardly. Ametrine immediately snapped his hands back to himself, looking ashamed.

"Sorry," Ametrine mumbled, barely audible.

"It's okay," Kunzite replied, also quietly to avoid making a scene. "I'll stay here if you want me to."

Ametrine nodded, still looking a little nervous. Kunzite's heart and smile twitched at the guilt-ridden look. He really didn't like it when Ametrine looked so upset. He didn't know why, though. He had seen Ametrine upset before, and of course it made him sad to see his best friend that way, but this time it seemed amplified. He decided to just ignore it until he could be alone with his thoughts and figure out what was going on that way. He didn't want to worry everyone on the ship with his problems.

"So, what's it like being part of Orange Diamond's court?" Paraiba asked, bringing Kunzite's mind back to the ship.

"Hmm..." Kunzite thought for a moment. "Well, we train a lot. It's part of a daily routine. At the very start of the day, we do this little respectful gesture to our Diamond and do warm-up training, then we can go off and have a break. Most of our time is taken up by training, though. But we're still able to hang out with everyone. It's pretty fun, especially since Orange Diamond has a sense of humor."

"He threatened to shatter a Sunstone today as a joke," Ametrine chimed in.

"That's awful!" Paraiba exclaimed.

"But he and his Pearl found it funny," Ametrine continued. "He's always with his Pearl. He always pats their head and praises them for everything. He really cares about them."

"He cares about all of us, even if he pushes us to the limit sometimes," Kunzite added. "He really has something special with Orange Pearl, though. And, of course, with Ametrine."

"Oh, please!" Ametrine scoffed. "He doesn't care about me nearly as much as he cares about Orange Pearl. He always exaggerates about my prowess in battle anyway."

"But doesn't that mean he cares about you and appreciates you?" Kunzite tilted his head. "Isn't that what you want?"

Ametrine looked troubled. "I mean, I guess?" He sounded confused. "I don't really know what I want."

Truth be told, Ametrine knew what he wanted. But he couldn't quite explain it properly, and it would just make the other gems argue with him. So he kept his mouth shut.

"Anyways..." Kunzite looked at Paraiba and Angel. "What's it like in Green Diamond's?"

"He lets us do whatever we want all the time," Paraiba explained. "He's very laid back and peaceful. He gets nervous if war is called, but always tries to keep calm and makes sure we have the freedom to do whatever we want. Only in emergencies does he ever force us into something."

"That sounds so nice!" Kunzite's eyes shone at the thought of it.

"Freedom can lead to chaos, though, can't it?" Ametrine asked. "I mean, you could go around shattering any gem you want or insult anyone you want, right?"

"No, it's never like that," Angel piped up. "Green Diamond doesn't let us do anything that would hurt any gem. However, he is very forgiving of us. If we do happen to hurt anyone, he always makes sure we know to treat everyone with respect and forgives us if we do the right thing. He's very accepting and really cares about us. I've heard stories from Seafoam - his Pearl - that he cries whenever any kind of argument, especially war, goes on. He always tries to keep peace, but always tries to get out of the situation if something could happen that threatens his gems."

"I've heard rumors that he keeps every gem he's lost in some sort of secret room," Paraiba added. "He doesn't really do anything with the shards, but he whispers little things to them in the hopes that they still have some sort of consciousness and can hear his little pleas for them to be safe. At least, that's what Seafoam's told me."

"He really cares that much." Kunzite's words were a sort of mix between a statement and a question.

Paraiba nodded. "I'm glad he is the way he is," she said. "He lets me collect all the things I want, and I can stay in my own little section of the room without having to worry about being bothered by anyone. Though, it gets a little lonely sometimes. After all, everyone flocks to Watermelon Tourmaline and those who aren't really popular just sort of get left in the dirt. Seafoam keeps me company sometimes, at least."

A beep came from the front of the ship. Kunzite immediately got up, checking on the control panel and screens there to figure out what was going on. Upon checking the map, he let out a laugh.

"We have officially exited the galaxy!" Kunzite exclaimed. "We'll have to be on the lookout for planets once we get farther out." He walked back over and sat down next to Ametrine.

"I have a question," Paraiba announced. "So, Orange Pearl...are they a boy or a girl?"

"They're really neither," Ametrine answered.

"Neither?" Paraiba echoed, confused.

"Gems don't have to be a boy or a girl," Angel replied. "They can be neither, or something in between, or switch between any of them. Sometimes they're born as one and then reform into another, or wear clothes the opposite of what they are. I don't really know all the terms for it, but it happens."

"You can just decide that all on your own?" Paraiba seemed entranced by the idea.

"Yeah!" Kunzite exclaimed. "Orange Pearl just sorta came out looking and feeling like neither a boy nor a girl. We call them by they/them pronouns instead of the usual ones, too! But it's always good to ask what a gem goes by when you meet them, because it can make them upset if you call them by what they aren't. I made that mistake when meeting Ametrine!" He laughed.

"Please don't talk about that," Ametrine interjected. "I don't like that story."

Immediately, Kunzite looked concerned. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I forgot it makes you uncomfortable..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I've never heard of such a thing as being something other than a boy or a girl." Paraiba sounded like she was having an epiphany. "That's what Green Diamond meant when he told me that I could be anything I wanted. I just thought he meant by my future or something. But whenever I reformed and had different clothes and hair and just kept experimenting with my look, he always looked like he wanted to say something. That must be why..."

"You must really not get out much," Angel remarked. "I mean, even Parti Sapphire goes by those they/them pronouns. A lot of us are more open with it."

"I usually just stay in my place all day," Paraiba confessed. "I really have nowhere to go. My only real company is Seafoam or Green Diamond, honestly..."

"Well, you can leave your room and meet other gems, you know," Angel replied.

"It doesn't really seem like they want to talk to me," Paraiba mumbled.

Angel shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to try. I may be a bit more quiet and reserved, but I still have a bunch of friends. And I didn't make them by sitting in one place all day."

"I'm not very popular among the court, but most gems like me," Kunzite chimed in. "We hang out a lot and just have fun together! Sometimes they'll bring gems that they know but I don't know, or I'll bring gems that I know but they don't. It's a really nice way to try and meet everyone."

"I think it's dangerous," Ametrine argued. "Gems can betray you at any moment. They're disrespectful, and none of them tolerate someone who's different from the rest. Especially if they know your past."

"Don't be like that, Ame, " Kunzite told him. "I think nearly the entire court reveres you!"

"Only because they want to be me, because I'm so strong and adaptable." Ametrine groaned in a way that made it sound like he was throwing up. "They don't know how hard it is living with this guilt. Plus, have you seen how two-faced they are? They try to mess up my training, and I swear I've heard them laugh as I go by."

"Ame, you're just reaching for excuses now," Kunzite said. "Besides, you're scaring Paraiba."

"I think I'll just stick with Seafoam and Green Diamond as my friends, thank you," Paraiba responded in a rushed voice. She seemed a bit shocked that she caused so much trouble.

Kunzite nodded, but glanced at Ametrine with a look that told him this was his fault. Ametrine, however, felt guilty enough and tried to ignore the look to avoid getting confrontational. Paraiba picked at her gem, hoping nothing would happen. Angel looked from her to the other gems, wondering how to make this a little less tense.

"So, what's your...gem weapon?" she inquired.

Ametrine immediately reached his arm over to his other shoulder. His gem glowed and he pulled a large double-sided axe out of his gem. Everyone stared in awe and shocked fear. Even Kunzite looked a little nervous.

"I have a battle axe," he explained, holding it in a rather intimidating manner. "It's good for quickly taking out large amounts of gems. Just one swing is all it takes."

"Okay, I'm done seeing that thing, please put it away!" Angel's voice was in a panic. She tried to make herself smaller to avoid being hit, even though Ametrine was on the opposite side of the ship.

Ametrine giggled a little bit, but obeyed her direction. He looked over to Kunzite, waiting for him to show his weapon next even though he already knew what it was.

"Well..." Kunzite began.

He moved his hands to his chest, making his gem glow. From there, he pulled at the handle of something, then whipped it out of his gem.

"I have nunchucks," he finished, spinning them around as if they were helicopter blades. "I don't have to use them much, because I'm not really a battle type of gem, but they're good for pulling a gem close to you and smacking them in the face because they insulted your Diamond."

"Sometimes we work as a team," Ametrine added. "He pulls the gems in, I slash them to pieces."

"That's pretty efficient," Angel responded.

"It's like you two were made for each other!" Paraiba remarked, clasping her hands together.

Both Kunzite and Ametrine blushed deeply, looking shocked to be called that. They looked at each other for a second, then quickly looked away.

"I mean, sure we're good friends but-" Ametrine couldn't finish his sentence.

"I wouldn't exactly call it that, y'know?" Kunzite finished.

"Any gem could be like that, honestly!" Ametrine exclaimed.

"It's j-just a coincidence, r-really," Kunzite stuttered.

The both of them continued stammering out excuses. Paraiba snickered and Angel gave her a glance and nudge that asked, "Should we intervene or just let them do this all day?" Paraiba couldn't hold in her laughter at Angel's behavior. She bellowed out a laugh, startling Kunzite and Ametrine into silence. When she started to calm down, Angel asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Paraiba replied, wiping tears from her eyes. "That was just really funny. Anyways..." She tapped her gem. "My abilities are mostly my good eyesight and my sensing power, but I do have this." Her gem glowed and she pulled a small yet sharp object out.

"It's a trowel," she explained. "It's not very good for combat, but it helps with digging around to find any forms of life or adding to my collection of rocks and the like."

"Tanzine and I both have these little technology screens." Angel brought out her techboard from earlier, now blank. "We use them for pretty much everything, like bringing up maps, drawing, or communicating." She clasped her hands to make the techboard disappear. "But we each have our own weapons, if you can even call them that. Tanzine has this little do-everything tool. It can be a wrench, a screwdriver, any tool you need. Meanwhile, I not only have the magic ability to untie any knot, but I also have this."

Angel snapped her fingers, causing a spark to go off. When she separated them slightly, a line of electricity was visible between them.

"Whoa!" Kunzite exclaimed, stars in his eyes.

"You never told me you have electricity powers!" Paraiba seemed just as shocked.

"Eh, it never came up," Angel explained. "It's only good for when our technology malfunctions."

"Kunzite!" Ametrine suddenly shouted. He pointed over to the front of the ship. "Look out there!"

Kunzite turned his head to look out the window of the front. He gasped, running over there. The others followed behind him, awed by the sight before them.

An entire galaxy sat right in front of them. The center of it was a beautiful peach color, glowing with the light of a million stars. Spiraling out from it were blue arms covered with asteroids and other intergalactic objects. The four of them stared out at the beautiful galaxy, frozen by the sheer magnificence of it.

"This one isn't marked anywhere on our star maps," Angel piped up.

"So we've found an entirely undiscovered galaxy," Kunzite murmured.

"What will the Diamonds think?" Paraiba asked.

"I don't know," Kunzite replied. "But let's get to the center of this thing. Hold on tightly!" Kunzite pressed a few buttons, then grabbed two levers in the center of the control panel. He pushed on them, putting the ship into a speed mode. The stars blurred past them as they traveled straight to the center of this strange new galaxy. Kunzite stopped it just in time to come across a multitude of planets.

"What is this?" Ametrine inquired.

"It seems to be a solar system," Angel replied. "I'll have to mark it."

"How many planets are in it?" Paraiba questioned.

"Looks to be nine," Kunzite replied. "Though, this one at the back is quite a ways away from the others, and very small. I'm not sure if it's part of the solar system at all. But just look at how big that star in the center is. I've never seen a star that big!"

"These planets are so unique!" Ametrine exclaimed. "Just look at this one, right by the small one. It's completely blue! And that other blue one, it's turned on its side! What sort of strange place have we come across?"

"We're going to get to explore all of them, too!" Paraiba shouted. "There'll be so many things to collect! I wonder if we'll be able to walk on their rings. Oh, look at that big one! It has some sort of red substance on its surface. I've never seen something like that!"

"Where are we going to start?" Angel asked, having finished marking them on the map.

"I suppose by that red one, nearest to the star," Kunzite replied. "It's going to be tricky getting through this asteroid belt, though." Kunzite cracked his knuckles and hit some buttons on the control panel. "Hold on. This may cause some turbulence." He pushed on the levers slightly, upping the speed. The ship picked up the pace, heading straight for the asteroids. Kunzite pulled back on the other lever, trying to keep control of everything. He dodged through all the objects, making a smooth run through. However, the strange gravity of them was unpredictable. They floated without any sort of pattern or orbit, making it difficult for Kunzite to get through them without lurching the ship to one side. Ametrine nearly fell over.

"Sorry!" Kunzite said. "I'm trying to get through these as smoothly as possible." He looked at the path ahead and then stared at the control panel. "Okay, this may be taking some risks, but it may be the easiest way out." Kunzite hit more buttons, then grabbed onto the levers with both hands.

"Hold on!" he yelled.

Suddenly, he pushed the levers. The ship lurched forward, going at a high speed through an empty path between the asteroids. However, it wasn't going fast enough. A single asteroid tumbled into their path. Kunzite tried to move the ship away, but he wasn't fast enough. The side of the ship crashed into it, damaging a wing and other parts of the ship. This took them completely off-course, sounding an alarm all throughout the place.

"What's going on?" Paraiba shouted. "Are we going to be okay?"

Tanzine ran in from the back of the ship, crashing into a wall. She immediately got up and ran over to Angel, hugging her. "We're crashing!" she screeched.

"I've lost control of everything!" Kunzite cried, trying to pull back on the levers and slow down the ship.

"We're heading straight for that green and blue planet," Ametrine pointed out, running a hand through his hair.

"I hope we don't land in the water!" Paraiba was panicking. "How will we ever get home?!"

"We can't worry about that right now." Kunzite tried to calm them down. "We're pretty much already in the atmosphere." He let go of the controls and leaned back in his chair, gripping the sides of it tightly. "Brace yourselves."

All of them stared down as they continued tumbling down onto the surface of the planet.

"Ametrine!" Tanzine suddenly said. "If we die here, I just want to let you know I'm sorry!"

Ametrine looked over at her. She seemed completely genuine, tears in her eyes. Finally, he sighed and replied, "No hard feelings."

As the alarm blared a bittersweet lullaby in their ears and they saw the bed of the ground approaching them, all they could do was watch and wait for their inevitable demise.


End file.
